Location on the edge of the Casco Viejo and on the tram line is great.
Hotel is pretty easy to find - if you get to a parking garage 'Arena' just pull in there and park since the hotel doesn't have its own parking. You can pull into the pedestrian street to check in to the hotel, though, if you need to.
Check in and out was friendly but slow.
The rooms (we had two) were worn. The moden decor was not holding up well to time. Our bathroom sink was loose on the wall - the counter was rotting (you could push your finger through the rotted laminate), the wall paper was peeling off the walls. The shower stall was small (although no tub to climb in and out of).
The walls are very thin - we heard the mobile phone from the room next to us vibrate the alarm in the morning. We had rooms facing away from the street so we didn't hear any street noise - which was good since we could hear our neighbors like they were in our room.
Even though we had televisions, they were not operating - only playing radio stations (not a big deal but nice to watch the news at night or in the morning).
I would pay a little more to stay at a more upscale hotel. The hotel requires you to take two elevators - one from the ground floor to the first floor and then from the first floor to your room floor.
We didn't eat breakfast here so I cannot comment on that.
- Petit Palace Arana Bilbao
- Petit Palace Arana Hotel Bilbao
